Promise Kept
by Starlit Skyline
Summary: You realize all too late… that the sacrifices you made weren't worth it. A different ending to Valley of the End.
1. Promise Kept

This is how I imagined Valley of the End, hope you like it.

Disclaimer: If you already know, why do you ask?

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Sasuke pants, watching his opponent as he floats in the murky water. Dark clouds form above the valley, obscuring the sun. A storm was soon to start, but Sasuke didn't care. He was a shinobi, he was trained to fight in any kind of conditions.

He takes another breath, filling his air-deprived lungs. He watches Naruto from the shore and a few moments pass without either of them moving. Sasuke has regained his breath by now, he smirks.

"What's the matter Naruto, too lazy to fight anymore?"

Sasuke knows that's a lie, but he can't keep himself from taunting. "Stop snoozing off and GET UP!" Finally, he's proved he was stronger. A few more moments pass and yet, Naruto is still unresponsive.

Sasuke frowns, usually Naruto would snap back. Sasuke takes a step forward, and then another – Naruto still doesn't move. Carefully, Sasuke steps on the water and makes his way towards his rival. _'Maybe this is a trap. Maybe Naruto just wants to me lower my guard.' _That though is soon dismissed. Naruto isn't that smart, Sasuke tells himself. And Naruto definitely doesn't like people underestimating him, this is under his pride.

Sasuke looks down on Naruto's face, his eyes are closed and his spiky blond hair is drenched and straight for once.

Sasuke scowls, but can't help that his lips tug upwards "One time you shout your mouth."

He lifts Naruto by the neck, but the blonde doesn't even twitch and it irritates Sasuke that Naruto has the nerve to ignore him _now._ "Answer me when I talk to you!" he yells and throws the boy to the shore. Naruto hits the ground with a laud _thud_. He hadn't even tried to cushion his fall.

But Sasuke takes no notice of it. He charges forward, expecting his rival to be up on his feet and ready to pack a punch when the smoke clears. But when he gets close, he doesn't see Naruto back on his feet and his eyes shining with that usual determination. He sees Naruto's prone form sprawled out on the ground, face first.

Sasuke smirks "C'mon Naruto, I though you were going to drag me back to Konoha even if you had to brake every bone in my body." He says as he kicks Naruto's shoulder and turns his body over.

Still no response, Sasuke gets a strange feeling in his gut. It's familiar, but he can't place it. It's dread, horror and bitterness all mixed in one. Sasuke's eyes widen and he crunches down. It can't be…

But it is.

Naruto lays there, prone and unresponsive. Lays there with all the blood washed away by the river's water. His eyes are closed, he looks just like all the times he fell asleep in class back at the Academy.

Only there's one big difference.

Sasuke's heart suddenly clenches and his shoulder begins to burn. He knows what this feeling is now, it's the feeling he got when he came back from the Academy that night. It's the feeling that twisted in his stomach when he went through his own home and the one that stabbed at his heart when he opened the big double doors.

His shoulder hurts exactly where the wound Itachi gave him used to be.

His hitai-ate suddenly unties itself and falls next to Naruto, and soon after Sasuke is on his knees next to the blonde.

His shoulder burns even more. The wound Itachi gave him was the painful truth, the realization he hadn't had the common sense to come to even if it was right in front of his eyes.

Just like now…

"_No. Our friendship was worth it."_ He had told Naruto. He cared for the hyperactive idiot to a certain extent, he was his rival. He pushed him to grow stronger, but he was also his goofy, rag-tag friend. The same friend who often bothered him and asked if he wanted to go for ramen with him or if he wanted to train together.

That same friend was now laying right in front of him. Sasuke's hands began to shake, but he couldn't force them, he would dare touch Naruto's neck.

The rain began to fall then.

Sasuke didn't understand. He wanted revenge more than anything, he wanted the power to be able to avenge his clan. So why was he feeling like this? Was this resentment?

Sasuke suddenly senses someone closing in. He should move, he knows – if he wants to make it to Orochimaru. One problem, his legs won't move.

It's like he's eight years old again and Itachi's standing over the bloodied bodies of his mother and father. But, only this time, when Itachi steps out of the darkness – it isn't Itachi. It's him – Sasuke! It's him and he's using his mangekyou sharingan.

He's his brother this time, he's standing over the body of someone he's supposed to love and care about. Someone whose supposed to be his best friend!

"_Our friendship was worth it." _Worth what? Was he really so keen on exacting his revenge for ruining his childhood that he's ready to destroy his life completely? His mind goes silent, he can't force a single though to form in the emptiness he feels.

Naruto's words echo in his mind. Naruto, always dead last, always the weakest, the ditsy mascot of team 7. But are they really team 7 now?

There's a soft thud and the sound of someone's sandals on the ground. Sasuke turns his head, suddenly alert and out of his daze.

Kakashi-sensei is already next to him, but he isn't looking at him. The man's hand is already tightly latched onto Sasuke's upper-arm but Kakashi's eye is locked on Naruto.

'_Am I too late?'_ Kakashi wonders as he watches his student, before shifting to Sasuke.

The dark haired boy's eyes are wide and alert. But he doesn't try to escape, he watches Kakashi. Sasuke's eyes are completely black with an empty sadness, though expectant.

Kakashi sighs, looking back at his unconscious student "He promised he'd bring you back." He states "Naruto doesn't break his promises."

Sasuke nods, he does have the will power to do anything else.

Kakashi felt for the pulse on Naruto's neck, freezing dead when his fingers made contact with his student's neck. There was a brief moment of silence before Kakashi's arm slacked, and his fingers slid of of the wet skin. Sasuke's eyes seemed to deepen in sadness, he looked down to his lap, away from Naruto's face.

Sasuke seemed lost in his own world now - reminiscing and reconsidering things he thought were thought through.

Kakashi's hands moved from Naruto's neck and to his forehead, removing his hetai-ate. Kakashi hesitated for just a second before untying it.

He gazed back at Sasuke who was now looking of into the distance, seemingly unaware that Kakashi had let go of his shoulder. The man sighed, depressed but didn't show it. His hand clenched the hitai-ate even tighter.

Tentatively, he stud up and made his way behind the kneeling Sasuke. He did this oh so slowly, as if cornering a scared cat before it could bolt away. He crunched down behind Sasuke again and began to tie the headband to the boy's bare forehead.

Sasuke gave a small jolt, suddenly reminded of Kakashis presence once more as the hitai-ate made contact with his wet forehead.

He turned around, hand instinctively going up to the forehead-protector. But when he meet the eye of the man he called sensei, his will to fight disappeared. He lowered his black eyes, but did not do anything else. Teacher and student stayed like that for a while, kneeling in front of each-other while the raindrops echoed as they hit the merciless ground.

Kakashi's gaze returns to Naruto, and he imagines that the hyperactive boy would start coughing any second and be jumping around in the next, happy that they managed to save Sasuke. He imagined, but it did not come true.

Kakashi couldn't tear his gaze of off the orange-clad nin, just as Sasuke wouldn't dare look at Naruto.

Ironic, how small things suddenly become important just because you lost them.

Kakashi wondered, but caught himself before he fantasized a single thought had the events leading up to this taken a different path. What was done was done, even do it was in an unsuitable way.

Kakashi saw many die and sometimes, he thought that maybe - those who died young were spared of the future. It was easier for the person who dies to leave, but it was harder for those who stayed to part from them.

A noise reached Kakashi's ears and he turned to face his other student. Only one sound escaped Sasuke, the only sound Kakashi though the child would never utter, at least - not in front of others, not where he could be pitied. Just where there was no one to comfort him. The simple equation of self-educed loneliness and the respect for the shinobi rule - never show your emotions. A rule that the Konoha shinobi had a hobby of braking.

Sensei gazed over his lifeless student for a meaningful moment. Naruto... the rule beaker... who never broke a promise...

Sasuke held himself with all his might and every fiber of his will, but it was still to weak against his core... his core that burned with every raindrop on his already drenched skin, a flame soon to be extinguished by something so small yet plentiful.

He could use what ever fire jutsu he wanted, the rain would stand up to him. His jutsu burned with everything he held inside, but now... it was a candle waiting to be blown out. One breath was all it took for Sasuke to forget everything he ever learned about being a shinobi, one breath could turn him back into the eight-year-old who clung onto his brother's back. One breath, that couldn't be taken.

"Why?" was the only thing Sasuke could choke out.

"Because he trusted you." The answer was so simple and as Kakashi picked up Naruto's still form Sasuke found himself understanding – the sacrifices he had made for his revenge... weren't worth it, not now nor ever.

Sasuke stud after Kakashi, sparing one final glance at the direction of the castle where he could be crowned with power, a prince of darkness. He closed his eyes, face blank and turned to follow Kakashi.

Turned his back on the brother that waited over the boarder and so, the avenger settles for being the protector.

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I planned for this to be a OneShot, but my imagination came up with a plot and demanded to continue this story! So I hope you're all looking forward to chapter 2!


	2. Empty

I've decided to continue this, so, yeah, hope you enjoy! I apologize for grammar mistakes and word confusion, English is not my first language. Also, the cover pic may change.

P. S. I've also decided that quite a few characters will appear in the story - but I tend to make them thematic and just focus on one or two characters per chapter(except for _special _chapters). But don't worry, Naruto and Sasuke will still be the center of it all.

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Sasuke kept his eyes downcast, concentrating only on the next branch, step after step, leap after leap, as if the world out of his field of vision didn't even exist. Because, indeed, it didn't exist - at least not in the wandered to describe the feeling, because it wasn't like there was nothing to feel, but it was still empty, and that emptiness throbbed to be filled.

Sasuke was dimly aware of the dogs surrounding him and Kakashi, both front and back. No one said anything, only the thud of sandals against wood could be heard as it echoed in shadowed forest. And before Sasuke realized it, they had reached a clearing where an unlikely bunch awaited them. They were all familiar faces, but seeing them together like this was very... strange...

Shikamaru, the lazy ass know-it-all, was standing next to a Suna kunoichi - her name was Temari, if Sasuke recalled correctly. Another Leaf nin, Kiba, was forced to lean on Temari's brother - Kankuro, and the youngest (and most dangerous) of the three siblings - Gaara, was standing in the middle of the small group. Another unexpected face was Rock Lee, who stud next to the infamous jinchuuriki.

All in all, it was an odd, rag-tag combination of mismatched people - but, for some reason, Sasuke felt as though her was the black sheep among them.

Kakashi studied all of the gathered nins, eye lingering on those who were not assigned to the mission longest, but there was a vacant look in his eye - like he wasn't seeing what was there. Empty. Without that casual, carefree attitude Kakashi was striped of all that Sauke knew to be his sensei. Sasuke had never seen this side of Kakashi-sensei, though - emptiness could not be described as an attitude or feeling. It was a cold and gripping void - and at the same time it wasn't nothing. It was empty.

When Kakashi turned to look at Gaara, the young jinchuuriki didn't even care to return the gaze, his hollow eyes fixed only on the prone figure in Kakashi's arms. Then, suddenly, those teal puddles locked on Sasuke and the Uchiha suppressed the urge to shudder. Those eyes were so vacant. Sasuke had never seen any emotion flicker in them, no emotion to give them some life - cold emptiness that shielded what was left to crumble, what was left of a heart - if Gaara even had one. Just then, those hollow puddles seemed to flash with some emotion, too quick for Sasuke to identify it but slow enough for him to notice. And just like that, it was gone. A single wave swallowed by a glass-surfaced and unmoving sea.

The two other Suna shinobi now stud by Gaara, both exchanged a quick glance with each other before looking back at Gaara. Sasuke knew the gesture wasn't mean to be seen by the youngest, he could tell - but couldn't bring himself to care, Gaara, on the other hang - didn't know how to care. To him it was just another thing to taunt him for his inability to understand it's meaning.

And so, the silent exchange between the two went either ignored or unnoticed by the others.

Kakashi's face was stern, eye hard and gaze unwavering "The other two?" Sasuke's looked side-ways at his sensei - other two?

The Suna siblings tensed, well, except Gaara "We don't know." his voice calm as he spoke, but it wasn't Gaara's usual tone, Temari and Kankuro had noted, it seemed... distracted... So Kankuro took the explanation upon himself "We didn't have the time to search, but if they haven't joined us by now that only means they are either seriously injured..." he trailed off, eyes falling on the limb blonde.

"... or dead."

That single word hit Sasuke with such impact that he could have sworn he had gotten a kunai to the chest. But no, it was only... loss... just loss... but it left just as quickly it came, the kunai had gone through his chest - leaving yet another invisible hole within Sasuke. His eyes obsidian eyes widened. Dead? More people were dead because of him? He didn't understand why he cared, now of all times, for someone other than himself - others only brought him pain, even usuratonkachi brought him pain. It didn't hurt very much after the word had been uttered, just a dull pouch in his already aching chest. The throbbing became stronger, bordering on the feeling of being stabbed with sharp needles, but like a antiseptic - keeping the pain at bay by making it seem unreal.

Real?

What was real anymore? What was dream and illusion and what was truth? What was reality anyway? Everything was so... bendable... every rule... Itachi was supposed to be his aniki, but he murdered their family and yet he was still his big brother...

Bendable. That was the only way to describe it - bending the rules without braking them...

Brake... what a awful word - it was almost always followed by pain... broken... even worse...

Kakashi sighed, but it wasn't that usual, exasperated sigh of his and nor was it accompanied by the good-natured roll of the eye - this one... this one sounded like an old man's sigh, exhausted and regretful. The white-haired jounin turned in the general direction of Konoha, his movements stiff as he did so "Find them..." he ordered the three Suna shinobi, showing no sign of what he felt but Sasuke detected the man's inner turmoil, it was the only thing he had some kind of empathy for. After a brief pause he added "...take the dogs with you..."

The three Suna nin nodded and began to head in a similar direction, following the retrieval team's original route as the others took the shortest way back to the Village Hidden in Leaves. As they passed Kakashi, who simply stud there, eye on the boy in his arms, seemingly lost in thought, Lee looked up, brow creasing in grim determination as he ran after them.

"Wait, I'm coming with you!" he yelled as the three siblings reached the end of the clearing. They turned, each wearing a similar scowl on their face. Gaara silently held up his hand and a wall of sand came in between them and Lee. It was small, just about Lee's height and the sand itself circulated in a way that allowed Lee to see Gaara and his siblings through it.

"You're going back to the Hokage. I'm not in the mood to drag an injured and dunk ditsy happy-go-lucky fool like you around." he said as he shot Lee with a scowl, eyes impassive as ever. Lee's brow rose, but the message got through. He was injured, had pushed his limits and needed to rest - though the same could be said for Gaara. Lee observed the redhead's siblings curiously, they didn't seem to mind that their 'little brother' had exhausted himself and was still coming with them when there was the possibility of running into more of Orochimaru's minions. Heck, they didn't even seem to notice, let alone care. Didn't they notice how the sand wavered and swayed in the lightest breeze, too weak to hold itself together? That's when it hit Lee... he knew why Gaara had told him what he did after their battle with Kimimaru...

Lee looked back at the shorter nin, a partly subdued expression on his face, he nodded. Gaara, was unaware of Lee's discovery, thought the subdued look was from the fact that he had called him a fool again. It seemed that was hurtful to Lee, Gaara mused, sensitive and ditsy - a combination for disaster.

Gaara and his siblings nodded back, the weak barrier of sand that was barely holding up now disappeared completely and the three vanished in the tree tops.

Meanwhile, Sasuke, who had watched the exchange with unseeing eyes had been mulling over the new information. He knew the Hokage would send someone after him, he had to say he expected at least one jounin, but instead he got this! How many had actually been sent after him? It couldn't possible be such a large number as the group he had seen, the Sand genin surely weren't Tsunade's first pick. And Sasuke knew that Lee had had an operation a few days ago. But still, Tsunade, despite being the current Hokage, was a medicalnin, she wouldn't have let him run off to a battle right after such an ordeal. So that left Shikamaru, Kiba and the two others Kakashi spoke of beside... Sasuke trailed off as his eyes wandered to his sensei's back as the man led the way back to the village. Kiba was now leaning on Shikamaru and Lee followed parallel to them. They were all behind him, obviously suspicious of him making a run for it.

The question that kept nagging at him was _why? _Why were these people willing to give their lives for him? Why did the Sand siblings and Rock Lee come to their rescue? Why had N... Na... _he_ been so insistent to bring him back? All of these thoughts swirled around in Sasuke's head, making it almost impossible for his dazed mind to make out a coherent train of thought. Out of all the questions, he found he could only voice one:

"Who?"

Kakashi turned his head to meet eyes with his student, he raised a brow at him but didn't comment, stoically returning his gaze on the path in front of him as he answered.

"Hyuga Neji and Akimichi Choji."

The Hyuga protege, the nin that usuratonkachi had fought in the the chunin exams and the same Hyuga Neji that the dobe had befriended afterwards may have just given his life for Sasuke's. And Choji, the big fat guy who he always thought of as weak... People he hadn't even cared to acknowledge had given his life... for a comrade... _'a traitor...'_

Sasuke could think anymore, and so, he shut everything out for the time being - he needed some peace in his mind, even though it was only calm before the storm.

The rest of the trip was silent. Sasuke's mind was jumbled and hazy and most things stopped making sense some time after they had left the clearing. He felt like he was walking in a dream, or rather, tossing and turning in his bed as his fears came to life. He had a bitter taste in his mouth and his stomach twisted in knots as they kept going.

The gates of Konoha came in view not long afterwards, but Sasuke didn't have any recollection of the trip back to the village - same as dreaming. He only woke when Kakashi had stopped in front of him - directly in front of the gates - and so, the dream and reverie were over to bring forth the cold, hard reality.

"Shikamaru, Kiba, Lee," Kakashi said in a voice that seemed to drag the syllables out of his mouth "you go to the hospital and get checked up. Afterwards Shikamaru and Lee will come to the Hokage tower, Shikamaru to report and Lee because I think Tsunade _really _wants to see you." There was no humor in those words.

"Hey!" the jounin turned around to face Kiba as the indignant protest escaped the boy's lips, though Kiba quieted immediately at the sight of his fallen friend. The little color he had managed to regain just drained out of his face.

"Was I clear?" the ice in Kakashi's tone was almost palpable.

Kiba could only lowered his gaze and nod, allowing Shikamaru to lead him away towards the hospital, Lee hot on their heals.

Sasuke watched them go, face blank as they vanished into the village. Once the three were out of sight, Sasuke's eyes wandered to the open gates that seemed to tower over him ominously - like an enemy fortress that planned to imprison his very soul.

"You'll be coming with me, Tsunade has some things she has to discuss with you." Kakashi said in a halfhearted tone, and just like Kiba, Sasuke could only nod and obey.

With that, they began walking again. But it was such a slow and agonizing pace that Sasuke felt as though he was wearing Lee's heaviest wrights on his legs, every step longer than the last. The mere sight of Konoha seemed to be pushing him away, back through the gates and out of the village - but he kept walking. The villagers had no idea what had transpired in these few days, how many lives had been changed and how many ended. Slowly, they made their way to the Hokage Tower, in which Tsunade awaited them.

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